Microwave only runs for a minute and trips breaker If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. Once the microwave exceeds that number the breaker is tripped and the electrical flow is shut off. Here, we're going to help you work out where this problem is coming from so you can resolve it. This will require an electrician. Then locate the turntable motor, which will be underneath the appliance. The high voltage transformer amplifies the electric current so that the magnetron can operate. You can test the door latch using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode, first with the door in its open position and then with it closed. There are several causes for this, including: Let’s look at how to troubleshoot the problem and keep your microwave from tripping the breaker. if you don't obtain a value, the capacitor is defective. I replaced the wall receptical and it worked fine for about a week, then started tripping again. If using the microwave on a dedicated circuit doesn’t solve the problem, and you’ve tested the outlets and breakers, the problem is most likely the microwave itself. Once the microwave exceeds that number the breaker is tripped and the electrical flow is shut off. You can also check whether the capacitor has an electrical leak or not. They’re handy for cooking breakfast, lunch, dinner, warming up snacks, heating water for hot drinks, soup, and lots more. Carrying out repairs on a microwave oven requires a very careful and safety conscious approach. I realize the microwave should be on its own circuit. I have an over the range microwave oven GE Model JVM3160DF3BB. You can check the condition of this component, but ensure you pay strict attention to the safety instructions when doing so. This symptom still present when HV tranformer, fan, and motor are disconnected. If the microwave is on a dedicated circuit as is tripping the breaker, it could be a faulty circuit breaker, outlet, or microwave oven. These faults can occur because of a bad magnetron, damaged internal circuitry, or blown fuses within the unit. Problem with a GFCI Outlet for a Microwave Oven. Try a using the microwave on a different circuit with nothing else running on that circuit. Please follow & like us :) microwave trips breaker after 2 minutes. The outlet which is mounted in the cabinet above the microwave is wired into the circuit in the adjacent tv room. Replacing the HV diode is normally not difficult, and they are quite cheap to purchase. Rated for 120V, 60 Hz and requires 13 amps at 120 volts. Dismiss. CHas your microwave recently begun tripping the power in your house and you don't understand why? Faulty Circuit Outlet. In that case, it is probable that the breaker is tripping because of a fault in the microwave itself. Required fields are marked *. A Faulty Appliance-. If you share a circuit for the microwave with other electrical appliances in your home, then... 2. This means the microwave is on a dedicated circuit. If the microwave works fine on other circuits, and you’ve already ruled out a GFCI, then you might have a faulty circuit breaker which will need to be removed and replaced. If the HV diode is short-circuiting or leaking electricity, your appliance may make a loud noise and could end up blowing the fuse or tripping the circuit. My microwave sometimes trips the breaker in the breaker box when I close the microwave door. If you do not obtain any values, this confirms there is no electrical leak. The most common cause for a microwave to trip the breaker is running too many things on the circuit at the same time. You risk electrocuting yourself if you neglect to do this. If it does, then the problem is with the GFCI outlet or circuit. The door safety latch mechanism on your microwave contains several small switches. One end of the transformer connects directly to the appliance's ground. I keep resetting the breaker. Our microwave continuously trips every time we use it. Try resetting the GFCI outlet. Got a whirlpool over the range microwave thats been there for 4 1/2 years. Repairing internal faults is dangerous and requires special training and tools. If the microwave is on a dedicated circuit as is tripping the breaker, it could be a faulty circuit breaker, outlet, or microwave oven. If the value you obtain is around zero, the magnetron is working correctly and is not the source of the fault. Cottonwood, AZ 86326 The microwave is a GE brand, model JVM1631WB004. It tripped when I tried it. We therefore recommend you leave the appliance to discharge for at least one day before taking it apart. In that case, the... 3. Click to see full answer Then, why is my GE microwave tripping the breaker? If the breaker does not trip while testing on a higher amp circuit, then you know the microwave is not faulty and a dedicated circuit is needed in your kitchen for the microwave. Why a Water Heater Keeps Tripping the Breaker, Why a Microwave Keeps Tripping the Breaker, Faulty GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter), Bad Microwave oven – pulling too much current. If nothing happens for a few days (with microwave unplugged ), then it may just be in the garbage out there. When I slam the door, as in close it normally, everything works properly, but when I try to gently close the door, it trips the breaker. If it’s an older microwave, then it’s probably best to replace it for a more efficient unit. Posted on February 18, 2021 by February 18, 2021 by To keep the breaker from tripping, be sure not to use another appliance at the same time as the microwave. Now, using either of the ovens trips the circuit breaker after around 5 minutes. Your microwave may be tripping the power due to an issue with its electricity supply. I've turned it back on and replugged the microwave but it trips off again. WARNING We recommend adopting a very cautious and safety-conscious approach if you need to take your microwave apart at any point. Take it to a certified technician or replace the microwave oven. You can see it circled here in this unfortunately grainy picture. Before checking and testing this component, carefully read the safety instructions provided at the beginning of this article. Plug the microwave into a different power outlet. When you first open the microwave up, make sure you short circuit the capacitor using a pair of electrically insulated pliers (with the appliance unplugged from the mains of course). Call in an electrician if necessary. Some manufacturers also recommend installing a separate circuit for built-in microwave wall units to avoid repeated tripping. A dedicated circuit serves only one appliance. Otherwise, the breaker can trip prematurely. Make absolutely sure you carefully follow the safety instructions provided at the beginning of this troubleshooting guide. If not, then that most likely means your microwave does not have a dedicated circuit. Phone: (928) 788-0285, office@pursolaraz.com for electrical questions This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This electrical wiring project is about a GFCI Outlet in the Kitchen of a New Home. Reset the breaker or replace the household fuse and try the microwave one more time. Try resetting the GFCI outlet. by Randy Brown | Apr 8, 2019 | Electric | 0 comments. Learn how your comment data is processed. The current draw of multiple appliances can exceed the 20 amps the breaker is rated for. If it doesn’t trip, then you need a dedicated circuit for the microwave. You can check the motor using a multimeter in ohmmeter mode. This increased power consumption could be because the oven has a higher power consumption rate, or it has a malfunction that’s causing the excessive electrical current consumption. SOS Accessoire cannot be held responsible for any accidents that may occur. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Phone: (928) 639-1267, Prescott Valley: I first tried plugging it into an outlet with a GFCI "test" button on it. Do not test the capacitor unless you've first disconnected it from the electricity supply and discharged it by short-circuiting it with an electrically insulated tool. Carry out this same test on each of the capacitor's terminals. Microwave ovens are convenient but they can be aggravating when they trip breakers. Try another outlet to see if the problem goes away. It’s hard to imagine a home without a microwave oven. If any of the door latch hooks is broken or any of the switches is faulty, the appliance will not operate. This liquid could have ended up finding its way to the motor, causing it to leak electricity and trip the circuit breaker. The capacitor stores energy then releases it in an amplified state. Contact us ! When the microwave is used on high for over a few minutes, it trips the breaker if the 50" plasma tv is on. Especially if I don't slam it as to not wake up my family during my early morning meetings. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting electrocuted. Posted by on Feb 14, 2021 in Uncategorized | 0 commentsUncategorized | 0 comments All other features of unit are working normally (clock … Is a GFCI Outlet Required for a Microwave Oven? Test to see if the microwave is malfunctioning If your microwave is plugged into a GFCI breaker outlet and it keeps tripping, the outlet itself may be at fault. Whether or not the microwave has a dedicated circuit, the microwave may be tripping the breaker because there’s something wrong the the microwave itself that’s causing it to pull too much electrical juice. I have a 200 amp service and plenty of space in my breaker box. I plugged the microwave into another outlet and it seems to be working fine. Recently our microwave started tripping a breaker. To verify the result, also check to see if there is any current leaking anywhere. One end of it connects to the capacitor and the other to your microwave's ground. The turntable motor enables your microwave to cook food uniformly. Never test these components without first disconnecting the appliance from the electricity supply and discharging the capacitor. Microwave ovens produce powerful electrical discharges that can potentially be fatal. If it’s an older microwave it would be best to replace it to a more efficient unit. Note, the one to its right and the pair below are also labeled "Internal Common Trip". Secure payment Credit Card, PayPal and bankwire, Fast delivery International home delivery, Money-back guarantee Free returns : 30 days to change your mind. If any of the timer's electrical contacts are damaged, this could cause the circuit to trip or a fuse to blow. For more information about testing a GFCI outlet, see our article Why Does my GFCI Outlet Keep Tripping? It's possible that when you put your food in the microwave, liquid of some kind ran under the turntable and you then forgot to clean it up. If the other appliance will not operate, have a qualified electrician repair the outlet. That’s when everything changes. One of the most common problems with a microwave is tripping a breaker. Most likely, the microwave oven is faulty if the breaker trips. 7129 E 1st St. The microwave keeps tripping off the circuit breaker. Do not try to repair a microwave oven unless you have this training. Circuits are rated for 20 amps and microwave ovens draw 12 amps. Cottonwood: An Overloaded Circuit-. If the breaker trips off again, unplug the microwave and contact service. The high voltage diode is made up of a stack of eight diodes. Remove the plug from the outlet, wait 10 seconds, then plug the microwave in again. This will help keep the current draw on the circuit to 12 amps. The turntable motor enables your microwave to cook food uniformly. Due to this stacking, the HV diode cannot be checked with a multimeter. This means other appliances are drawing current while you’re trying to run the microwave. In order to get your microwave back up and running so you can get on with your day, let’s look at why a microwave keeps trip the breaker. It’s either a bad microwave (most likely) or a really sensitive ground fault breaker. If a microwave or electric oven exceeds the amount of electrical current the circuit can handle, the breaker could trip. Your email address will not be published. If the microwave trips the new circuit it’s the microwaves fault, if it’s fine you have an overly sensitive breaker. This liquid could have ended up finding its way to the motor, causing it to leak electricity and trip the circuit breaker. Your microwave's timer will be either mechanical or electronic in design. Plug a different appliance into the power outlet. If you don’t have one labeled for the microwave, check to see which breaker is tripping. How microwave still trips the breaker. Reasons Why Your Microwave Is Tripping Your Breaker When an appliance such as a microwave oven repeatedly trips the circuit breaker, it’s overloading the electrical circuit, which is rated to handle a finite number of amps. This protects the circuit, the breaker, appliances, and your home. You should get a value in one of the two positions of each switch (i.e. For safety, your microwave should be on a dedicated circuit. Disconnect the connectors from the capacitor then place the tips of your multimeter's probes (in ohmmeter mode) on each of the capacitor's terminals. Plug the microwave into an area where the breaker is set for a higher amp rating (like a garage), then turn on the microwave and see what happens. We also recommend wearing a pair of electrically insulated gloves to ensure you are able to work in complete safety. It runs but after one or two times it trips the breaker when I open the door. You should either have the microwave fixed, or replace it. The outlet that it's plugged into is a 15 amp outlet. Disconnect all the electrical connectors and place the multimeter's two probes on the microswitches' terminals. 6 Reasons Microwave Trips Breaker When Door Opens 1. Consult an electrician to replace the breaker. If you get a continuity reading (a value is displayed), this means the motor is faulty. Recently it started tripping the breaker randomly at least once a day. However, make sure you follow the safety instructions detailed above if you decide to do this. The voltages on either the magnetron, transformer or capacitor may be too high for the multimeter to cope with. Even when unplugged, the capacitor inside the microwave oven can still produce power electrical discharges. However, problems are inevitable, and issues with a microwave GE trip the circuit breaker when the door is open is probably due to an overload of the circuit, a faulty door switch or a faulty circuit breaker or wiring. You should not obtain any values. To do this, place the tip of one of the multimeter's probes on the outer metal casing of the magnetron and the other probe on one of its connection terminals. When a microwave trips the breaker, preparing meals suddenly becomes a more difficult and drawn-out process. It would be best if you never attempted to repair these problems on your own. It’s best to have a dedicated circuit specifically for the microwave. The microwave is a Frigidaire 2.2 cubic foot counter-top microwave. GE Microwave Model No. If you don’t have a dedicated circuit and you can’t have one installed, then be sure that you don’t run the microwave and any other appliance at the same time. If the GFCI keeps tripping, there could be something else on the circuit causing the problem or you may have a faulty GFCI. It is best if the microwave doesn’t share a circuit with other appliances such as toasters, coffee makers, mixers, etc. This could also cause the microwave's fuse to blow or trip your circuit. There are several ways to test the microwave. You can contact us via e-mail if you have any questions ! Prescott Valley, AZ 86314 Reset the household circuit breaker or replace any blown fuses. Open up your microwave's outer casing and locate the door latch microswitches. Check the circuit breaker to see if the microwave is on a dedicated circuit. JVM316DF4WW (2 1/2 yrs old) trips 20 amp circuit breaker a few seconds after starting. Important: do not forget to follow the safety instructions provided at the beginning of this troubleshooting guide. Make absolutely sure you remember to follow the safety instructions provided at the beginning of this article. Your microwave is faulty and drawing enormous overloads, a circuit breaker is failing, you have a loose connection that could cause arcing that could start a fire, or your combination of loads is greatly overloading your wires and repeated resetting and resuming abuse will create expensive repairs. I would unplug the microwave from the outlet and plug into a different circuit (may require a heavy duty extension cord). Too many items are plugged into the same circuit that the microwave oven is on, causing an overload. I think I need to switch the outlet to a 20 amp outlet, but the switch on the breaker panel that always trips says 15. If the microwave trips that breaker, then you know the microwave is at fault. Next, disconnect all the connectors and place the multimeter's two probes (in ohmmeter mode) on the motor's terminals to test for continuity (it should normally give a reading of between 6 and 11 kilo ohms). If the circuits and breakers are fine and the problem is not with the GFCI, then you probably have a bad microwave oven. It will normally be fitted just after the point where the power lead enters. Unplug the microwave then clean that button with a Qtip and alcohol and press the button in and out a few times to free it up again.